USA – -(Ammoland.com)- The nation’s eyes have been riveted on the unfolding story Tuesday of a speculated “workplace shooting” at YouTube headquarters in San Bruno, California, that has resulted in at several people being wounded and the shooter, reportedly a “white woman wearing a headscarf,” reportedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Much is yet unknown as bits of information that may or may not pan out make their way through various reports, such as witnesses say the woman shot her boyfriend and authorities don’t think this an act of is terrorism.
We’ll learn more in coming days, although with the way officials can keep information to themselves, we’ll have to see what they choose to share, and significantly, what we later find out they have not. But despite the uncertainty, there are a few things that we do know. While CBS News is reporting “YouTube already employed armed security guards around the campus,” individual employees obeying the law and company policy were and are essentially sitting ducks.
First, the state’s penal code effectively bans public open carry of handguns, and California is a “may issue” concealed carry permit state. That means — especially in urban areas — politically-minded police chiefs and sheriffs most likely will not issue approval unless a citizen is prominent and well-connected.
Even if you could get a permit, it would do you no good on YouTube’s campus. As a subsidiary of Google, the following “safe workplace” policy is in effect:
“We are committed to a violence-free work environment, and we will not tolerate any level of violence or the threat of violence in the workplace. Under no circumstances should anyone bring a weapon to work. If you become aware of a violation of this policy, you should report it to Human Resources immediately. In case of potential violence, contact Google Security.”
That’s assuming the guards could hustle through the 200,000 square foot facility and get to a shooting location in time to stop an armed attacker — which they clearly could not.
Basically, the only option employees and visitors to YouTube’s campus have is what we saw unfold on television news reports: If not among the victims, wait for armed authorities to show up and then run out with their hands in the air and await the official groping.
The other thing that’s clear is that the perp broke all kinds of “gun control” edicts just to transport and carry the firearm before she ever fired a shot. The required background checks and waiting periods and registration and host of other edicts didn’t seem to slow her down either. Despite California’s “award-winning” gun laws, none of them made the least bit of difference in stopping this — nor can they.
UPDATE:
“The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit has confirmed the identity of the shooter who opened fire on YouTube’s campus in San Bruno Tuesday. Nasim Aghdam, 39, lived in Southern California and appears to have had a robust presence on YouTube.”
She self-identified as an Iranian vegan. Her website appears to have been taken down. Here’s the archive link via The Wayback Machine.
About David Codrea:
David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating / defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament.
In addition to being a field editor/columnist at GUNS Magazine and associate editor for Oath Keepers, he blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.